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elizlizabeth's reviews
176 reviews
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
There's a book hidden in here that I would really like to read. The prompts are good, but I feel at one point the author tried to add every trope and quirky quirk and it made the story very scattered and superficial.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
Emma by Jane Austen
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a treat to read! Very witty and so relatable even hundreds of years later. Incredibly glad that I decided to finally pick it up.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Cute little story about family, first loves, and deception :)
It's not dark at all despite dealing with hard topics but some of the conflicts seemed to be there just to push the plot forward as they got resolved incredibly quick and easy despite the big-stakes set up.
It's not dark at all despite dealing with hard topics but some of the conflicts seemed to be there just to push the plot forward as they got resolved incredibly quick and easy despite the big-stakes set up.
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness
One of the characters has a terminal illness although their symptoms or treatment are not the main focus of the plot and are rarely (if ever) described in detail.
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Great book! I couldn't stop reading but also didn't want it to be over. My only criticism is that the last part felt a bit anticlimactic after all that happened, but I guess Atwood was also trying to drive a point there about society and such so I'll take it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Suicide
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The poetic irony of this goddamn book. I need to roll myself into a cocoon for months to properly digest it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual violence and Rape
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
It was better than other retellings I've read but honestly I'm giving up on the genre after this. I wish more authors took into account what societies at the time were like, instead of portraying characters with contemporary values and sensibilities.
This retelling, as Circe, was so busy trying to portray the titular woman as someone who can't do or think evil to the point it distorted any semblance of character development for anyone. Phaedra was the only mildly interesting one, but otherwise I was bored for 60% of this. Worse is, if you're trying to be an "empowering" retelling, by removing Ariadne from all knowledge or complicity of ill doings you're rendering her powerless to truly make decisions.
This retelling, as Circe, was so busy trying to portray the titular woman as someone who can't do or think evil to the point it distorted any semblance of character development for anyone. Phaedra was the only mildly interesting one, but otherwise I was bored for 60% of this. Worse is, if you're trying to be an "empowering" retelling, by removing Ariadne from all knowledge or complicity of ill doings you're rendering her powerless to truly make decisions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Child death
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
medium-paced
3.5
I feel like this wasn't for me specifically but it brings out a couple interesting takes. Would recommend if you're new to existentialist and/or enviromentalist philosophy. I found it to be a bit tone deaf at times but I could see that the author was trying to recognize her privilege and contextualize her discourse accordingly.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
dark
medium-paced
4.0
Very immersive, the writing style made me feel so disoriented but in a good way, as if I myself were a part of this dystopian world and couldn't know real from fantasy. It is not an action packed, heroic tale, but rather a testimony of an almost passive observer. I personally enjoyed being able to explore this kind of story from a different POV, but might not be everyone's cuppa.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Torture and Religious bigotry
Beach Read by Emily Henry
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
This felt very... experimental. Like the book itself couldn't settle on one genre so at times it was very Romance, but other times it turned Contemporary. I'm not 100% convinced that these two belong together and I feel that it's partly because the book was trying to be "down to earth" while at the same time convincing us that true love exists and it's *here* -not that it can't be done (see: Good Place) but the execution felt clumsy to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Child abuse
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
4.5
Clear and simple language to understand. Balances inner reflection with direct points of action.